On A Light Note
by NotUrSquishy
Summary: [That Gaming AU] Raito falls into the world or gaming. Everything starts on a light note. The measure can only grow more complex from here. Game are played some figurative some literal. Computer screens shattered. This whole gaming business may prove more deadly to his beauty sleep schedule then Light first thought. [ LxLight]
1. Warnings

Welcome to On A Light Note thank you for clicking!

This story is strongly felt to hit its stride three/four chapters in.

I am constantly trying to improve, note that the chapters on are not always the most current update though feel free to point out errors in the text.

* * *

 **That being said as it is Death Note some warnings do come with. Including but not limited too, (this list will be updated as I go along)**

 **Gaming, seriously they game it's a Gaming AU at its core, Gaming Violence, Use of explicit's by author and other characters. Grim Humor, Ironic Humor, Semi-Graphic descriptions of corpses, Murder, Blood and Gore, Gaming Slang, Mello being anything but his name sake, Light being paranoid, L being depressed but not for long, BoyxBoy implications ;), Count D. (Pet Shop of Horrors)**


	2. Gaming Ambition (Light)

**Oh, me oh my disclaimers I don't own Death Note what a surprise now leave me to go cry.** Side note wonder how many flames I will get for bashing Serana ? Dog house systems are freaking amaxing you lot check em out. All the Skyrim stuff is accurate.

* * *

Light furiously tapped away at the screen in a swiping motion, a movement supposed to whisk the batter just right. With a touch of a fingertip, pour it into the pan like so.

He is trying to level his cooking skill and desperately trying not to burn the Apple Jubilee.

While spilling nearly everything else in the virtual kitchen in the process.

His fourth attempt yields success, a blue banner pops up and announces cheerfully Level Up! There are obnoxious sound horn noises and loudly colored confetti raining down across the screen So far he is not impressed. Granted he should have expected this.

The title did proudly proclaim " _Super Grand Ultra Mega Chef Cook 2"._

It's a simple app really, whose logo was a cheerful bright pink.

He had eyed it with more than a little skepticism.

Despite his personal opinion that they could have left of a few of those ringing endorsements in the name, it's not a bad game.

Not a very good one either. But the graphics aren't that terrible, though, they could be better (graphics can always be better). Perhaps his sister wasn't totally off the mark when she suggested it to him. Of course, she was probably joking.

She had no idea just how deep his gaming obsession ran deeper than his cooking obsession. A that had got him no end of ribbing around the house.

He claimed it was a useful skill to have and his mother obliged him.

Really he just didn't trust anyone near his food, not even the produce cashier.

Light is a very studious kid he had taken high school almost too seriously.

Now the rising 23-year-old used his college free time to kick back and relax or he would have.

But around four years of being considered mister antisocial my-grades-are-everything-just-what-is-a -party -exactly? Wasn't exactly easily forgotten by the student body. Not that light truly cared for the opinions of peasants, but even Kings on occasion like to behead the right person. (IE almost the entire student body, besides those kids who sit in that one corner that everyone tries not to look at)

He needed to chill to have fun and enjoy the "prime of his life" get wild and cut loose.

All this was according to Sayu not that he doubted her, why ever would he doubt the wisdom of a 19-year-old? At that point in their phone conversation he had grown tired of enduring her tirade and for once having finished all his work very early decided to scroll through the apps on his device for lack of things to do.

When Sayu called him a degenerate pipe hole Light answered by starting to play a rousing game of " _Candy Crush Saga"._

From _Candy Crush_ , he graduated to the odyssey of _Cut the Rope._

He soon moved on to other addictive things like _Angry Birds_ till he was hearing the fearsome cries of his feathered comrades and squeal of demented pigs in his sleep.

Slowly then quickly he burned his way through the charts, from " _Daily Dog Care:_ _Pretty Pretty Pooches_ " to " _Oregon trail_ ". He played them all indiscriminately.

A month in there exists no such thing as denial, he is hooked!

So, when his parents tried to find him the perfect graduation gift (they had no way of knowing he had finished out those four years and planned on returning) for completing college on scholarship who better to ask then Sayu.

His sister whose amusement knew no bounds once she learned of his app adventures and advised his parents well. For his graduation, Light Yagami received a state of the art gaming laptop courtesy of his parents and dog house systems.

His last gift was a battered copy of " _Civilization Four_ " from a beaming Sayu. He proceeded to spend every spare moment conquering.

That and hacking and modding the shit out of the console.

His every free study period became devoted to re-configuring, altering, and otherwise destroying the general purpose of the game. Each time, a random map generation activated his OCD and made it impossible for him not to place his civilization by a river. He moved it.

Deserts are the best for metal and mining so he applied his mod there and hill, mountain, or grassland it was all instantly changed to sweet, sweet sand.

Then after a month of Persia conquering France and his scouts running into barbarians at every turn. Light had absorbed the entirety of the game's history.

He was thirsting for more.

His neighbor (stalker) Teru a wavy black-haired guy with imposing glasses who shared a criminology class, and worked part-time for UPS had noted the change when Light came out for his mail in his pajamas no less! Gaming appears to have started cutting into his beauty sleep.

Dark circles edged on his eyes he fretted about wrinkle lines and made plans for earlier end times. Light accepted and signed for his package with a smile as blinding as his namesake and Teru put it out of his mind.

And Light?

He thought nothing of the exchange, he was too busy munching on an apple and looking at a silver dragon emblem to notice.

Without hesitance, he clicked play game.

Light let out a yawn and glanced at his watch.  
The bed duvet was comfortable and soft wrapped around him, but the headphones hurt his ears and were quickly overheated.

He'd been stuck in "T _he Soul Cairn_ " arc and time had (understandably ) gotten away from him.

The only character he held any respect for in this quest line was M _orven Stroud,_ " _Sure you'll die here but at least y'all look fabulous. Where are my twenty-five souls husks_?" Light always had to respect a businessman even in death. He's about had it with this Serana chick.

Why did people make mods to marry her!

She can't even aim and if she can then he had more than one thing to worry about. This was about the sixth time he had an ice chunk sticking out of his chest. _Bitch._

Where was the map of this heathanistic place anyhow? Freaking souls and their useless rambles. He didn't want to find the aardvark, arvak or whatever it was he wanted to get out. _Did you just shoot me again you bitch_? Light angrily toggled his character over fiercely smashing the mouse button.

For the first time in his life he Light Yagami hit a girl.

He sat back breathing heavily from exertion. Yeah, that'll teach her.

But nope, Serana was at it again; sheesh women we will reach the Ancestor Glade when we get there. _Which, is not at all._  
Light sighed and grudgingly powered down the game.

He'd had about enough of needy vampire chicks for one night.

* * *

Thousands of miles away across cliches far and wide, the sun was long set. A dark-haired man was sipping his tea. Not an unusual event in its entirety. What was unusual is the adding of liberal amounts of sugar to the dark mixture. His wide eyes stare blankly at a dusty black load screen. He lets out a pleased sound when the silver dragon emblem appears and takes a sip of his copiously sugared tea.


	3. Boring Admissions (L)

**[this chapter starts slow but has rather important minute details and happenings throughout up till the end, pretty fucking pissed at wattled excuse my language as they deleted the finished version of this and I had to re write it. Almost 2,000 words freaking gone. Gentlemen ladies and all, it's gone. The whole convo with D.. Re written from scratch.**

* * *

Summer flew in with all the cheer a cumulonimbus cloud sky would bring.  
Water rolled down the window panes on a never ending siege.  
The pit pat pounding was relentless against the roof and not even the library offered solstice.  
Moby Dick hadn't yet managed to invigorate nor compel him to sleep, (frankly he felt it wouldn't be doing either anytime soon.)

His gaze wandered to the pitiful excuse for a coffee table. With a sigh, he began to lead through the papers and noted with mild irony that the warranty on the washer was up, a week ago. He could have told them that himself when it started to turn into a mini fountain flooding his entire flat yesterday.

To say that the landlady had not been happy would have been an understatement. She had smartly lectured him on acting like an adult, then ruined the effect with a plate of chocolate chip cookies.

Though he couldn't easily say he didn't fear her wrinkled disapproving countenance.  
The lady's visage being to like Watari's for his comfort. That's right! He would just call Watari and...His heart gave a painful twinge. With a start he remembered. His countenance turned solemn and he fiercely glared letting papers drift to the puddled floor. The sky didn't even bother with an ominous thunder boom or, shiny lighting crackle, the downpour simply intensified.  
Really, he was getting entirely too sick of water in general.  
On page 49 the old sea Captain was still ranting and raving about his ship. He looked up from his book slightly green.

Silently he made the note to check if, the creak and tilt in the floorboards were just his vision. When no white whale materialized, he is forced to conclude, forced to conclude, that it had happened. Something worse than the whipped cream sputtering and dying in his hands earlier today.

No, it had finally happened, he is bored.  
This itself was not an unusual but, as he opened the fridge and scrounged the cupboards.  
The pantry yielded only one beat up a box of cocoa mix. He was out of strawberries and basically everything else he considered food. Little packets of instant ramen cheerily sat as the light tint off of their package taunted him. More pressingly he was out of tea. He knew he was going to have to do it. He was going to have to step outside.  
He paced the floor space, opening and closing the curtains playing peek a boo with the weather.  
In an effort to stall he lost not one but two comes to the raven nest of his hair.

With another all too weary sigh, his bony fingers reluctantly grabbed the shiny set of keys from where they mocked him on the hook. Shakily he fought with the door knob and lock. With an annoyed jangle, the thing opened and nearly deposited him on the bottom step.  
Fortunately, he managed to avoid executives a perfect nose dive into the pavement.

A while later found him at the self-checkout counter, he had opted to avoid the cashiers bland looks. Now as he stared puzzled at the blasted self-checkout, he was almost regretting the decision to come all together. The old lady next to him gave him a toothy smile and the floor manager politely (meaning the manager constantly rearranged a shelf behind him. There is a 50% chance that was an excuse to be nearby if he pulled out gun) watched his old black duster. He didn't much care if anything it amused him more than irritated. He would rather be warm and look like robber then wet and have to mop. Everything was already wet back at the apartment it didn't mean he had to be.  
The machine let out annoying beeps as it scanned.  
Where apple tartlets really worth all this trouble? Staring at just perfectly golden , flaky with perfect amount of sugar on the top treat, he concluded that yes they were, and yes they needed more sugar and yes he defiantly would try to add whip cream on top next time.

The rain had lessened just a bit and he decided to take in the sights on the way back home. There, he finally spotted it. As usual an odd sort of sign was the first thing that caught his attention about the place. It was ornate with old style Kanji. So the place had moved again. Mythical beast decorated the sign hidden within cherry blossom flowers on a twisting branch. Other then that is was mostly inconspicuous in appearance. You could make out the glow of paper lanterns from the shop's display window.

The door opened with nary a jingle and easy push.  
The smell of old books permeated the air a heady scent underlaid with incense. The bright collage of blinking electronic goods was at odds with its older paper counterparts. Still the placed managed the mish mash nicely avoiding a gaudy appearance.

A man in a classically traditional kimono walked from behind the counter to pour some tea into two cups. "Please, sit ". Gently prompted he sat. A tray of dango's was graciously placed before him. let it not ever be said D. was a poor host.  
Only one liable to let his crypticness kill you, the fellow was infuriating that way.

Their knowledge of each other allowed him to blessedly skip that awkward icebreaker of small talk stage and get right to the awkwardly waiting stage. D. Would take his time, this had to be something big to get the man smirking so noticeable like that. The upturned twitch of the man's lips served only unnerve him. When D. smirked.. just hope he didn't smirk.

Just because he could, he went ahead and eat two dango's  
D. Seated himself opposite of him like a coiled cat and watched him faintly amused. He attempted a smile. D.'s lips twitched upwards.  
He dropped the smile.  
"How can I help you today? " he stated in bored monotone more on edge the longer he sat. What do you want? He eats another dango while waiting for the reply.  
D. Practically purred stretching like a languid cat to stand and grabbed a small package.  
" This recently came into my possession it could use your unique expertise."  
So, it's to be work then? At least he wouldn't be bored any thoughtfully grabbed another dango stabbing it with his fork particularly violently.  
D. 's toned turned warning " A _friend_ of mine dropped it off after a .. Unfortunate accident.  
"My condolences".  
Those words tasted dryer then ash and just as empty.  
He pouted at the plate having eaten the last Dango.  
The tea was worthless and all the sudden had started turning terribly bitter in his mouth  
"Thank you. Now, my _friend"_  
He resisted the urge to flinch. An choose to scowl instead.  
" Don't be so dower. There is more where that came from, no need to be _greedy"_

Later, he would think back to what had unnerved him so much about D.'s tone and the warning he had detected there.  
Later, came after cleaning and shuffling his goods back up the cursed steps and this time tripping up them. Yes he possessed talent.  
Later, he pulled out his spare "work " monitor and computer and wondered at the inch of dust that accumulated on the screen in so short a time. A whole inch!

He activated the comps fail safes then picked up the suspicious package.

Upon its opening it was revealed to hold a innocent plain black disc.

He popped the thing into the slot, preparing to run a basic diagnostic.  
Then not even 30 seconds in the screen went pitch black.  
Spidery white letters danced across the screen.  
Nine letters to be exact.  
Cats had nine lives (perhaps a good omen? Would need to be examined latter only 5% probability. And Furthermore he did not believe in omens)  
The malevolent child's chicken scratch danced across the screen like preschoolers A'B'C's.  
Rocking on his heels and nibbling on the corner of his thumb he waited.  
Almost proudly nine letters formed two words.  
Two a dividend of four. Four an unlucky number a bad omen?  
Two words.  
"Death Note"


	4. Heart Attack (Light)

On A Light Note

Chapter Three: Heart Attack

A Big thanks to everyone and those of you who have commented and reviewd. This chapter is very raw and I need a hug.

* * *

 _Bleep-Bee **e** p-Beep_

Light blindly slammed his hand about searching for the alarm. Rather, that's the course of action he would have taken. Instead, his arms lay heavy and immobile like 15 ton weights.

Load fifteen tons what do you get- **Bleep-Beeep- Bleep**

The incessant noise interrupted his stunning mental song reiteration.

It was at that moment he also noticed the sound of the Spice Girls wasn't filling the room with its abominable racket. The alarm had been another casualty of Sayu sabotage.

He still hadn't managed to figure out how she had rewired the damn thing.

Light wished he had better weighed the cost versus benefits of giving his little sister a room key.

The Spice Girls only just managed passable humor and not much else.

The sound of distant voices grew close, then closer still. Some phantom thought haunted his mind, but the harder he tried to focus the more it dissolved into black and white spaced confusion. His temple pounded. A desert storm brewed grit and sand within his mouth and left dust caught about his throat in its wake.

He didn't manage to swallow, light crept in and he found it strange for he never forgot to close the blinds. He sucked in a shaky breath then another in rapid succession.

B **Eeeee** ep-Bllleeeeep **-Beeep** fired off the sound from his left.

Light groaned.

From somewhere footsteps echoed sharply off of tile flooring.

His mind made the connection and his eyes cracked open further.

He is immediately forced to squeeze them shut against the assaulting brightness.

The smell of cheap cleaning products and an underlying scent of wrongness circles the air.

It invades the senses and borders on revolution there is something to sterile, clinical about it. "Doctor are you sure-"

Light listens closely. So closely so intensely he can hear his pulse then the machines racket.

The footsteps paused at the door.

His heart hammered and the sound screeched in loud shrill intervals betraying him.

 **BEEEE** P-Bleeeep-Beeer **eeee** p.

His lashes fluttered, lights on, lights off.

The door creaked open. a man peered over him.

Women with a business like sound to the squeak - squeak of her sneakers trudged over to his right humming as she messed with something beyond his vision. Too late his eyelids grew heavy and faintly he recognized the dosage on his iv must have been upped.

A wasn't it insensitive of the women to be humming the funeral march, in a hospital no less?

Light didn't float suspended in darkness. He sort of lay surrounded by infinite black. It wasn't a slow submergence, but a stomach abandoning free fall. He doesn't even get the chance to feel undignified. Red crosses his vision. He is running scrambling away from some horrid monster and its breath is twisted, rotten to the core.

He can just make out it's humanoid shape within the dark. Scarlet eyes mock him. The face is some players mask, an imitation of sorrow or rage. Lips curved, morphing into an ugly countenance of unbridled menace - Then nothing, till light again.

He has the urge to laugh hysterically or cry. It's a close tie.

Raito being rational mind resist the urge to stamp his foot like a child.

The impossibility of the act makes the urge all, but null and void that and the screaming in his ear makes it impossible to act let alone think.

One does not simply block out their younger sister when she is in full rant.

One certainly does not ignore said sister when she is Sayu Yagami, nor leave her unattended for large amounts of time. "Have you any idea what you were thinking?" She brandished a finger at him angrily. He gulped and searched to answer.

"Yes?" She huffed winding up ."Enlighten me then big brother" oh in that case…

"I was just" Her eyes narrowed her frame trembled in the doorway.

Too late he notes the firm clench of her jaw, the wrong answer.

"Just not thinking that's it isn't it? " Sayu sighed the fight seemed to drain from her and she came even closer to him than before. " No, you were thinking weren't you ni-san " her breath was shaky and words solid but filled with soft vehemence a kind of slow poison that quietly erodes belief.

It's a silent ill that creeps with a glacier's strength.

This erosion that has tumbled much less then trust far more easily does quick work. But his younger sister is far too used to being underestimated.

She doesn't cloak herself in his shadow, she entwines herself with it. To the point, he sometimes wonders how she doesn't just choke.

He has briefly forgotten how Sayu has always smiled with a light far truer to his namesake then he ever has.

This is one thing she will forever outshine him in.

Unfortunately for him at the moment she is following the same train of thought.

There is no dramatic drawing together of brows when she reaches her conclusion just a broken voice growing in resolve.

" I'm right, you were thinking, thinking too much that is.."

She moved as if a leaf blown from the branch and swept to the floor, carelessly discarded. Without her indigence, she seems somehow less of an unstoppable force of nature and more the 18 she should be, Ganguly and unsure as she lingers beside him.

There is a brief silence, he lets her war with herself, it's a private thing the battle of head and heart.

Besides, at her age hormones know how to deliver a truly nasty sucker punch.

Finally, she settles on his bed and plays with the folds of the thin blue hospital issue blanket. "They say it was the stress" She dares him to counter.

Dares him to disagree with them.

Because he cannot remember, because he is a being of logic not instinct he doesn't.

The light clears his throat "Too much school work."

Why does the truth suddenly feels close to a blatant lie?

The known truth he corrects himself. The known truth.

For they both know someone this young doesn't just have a heart attack.

Things like these don't happen out of the blue to healthy even college diet healthy people in their twenties.

Heart disease is hereditary and even then-

Sayu flings herself at him and buries her head in his chest.

She grips him tightly, almost too tightly as if he might fade away or slip from her grasp.

For a moment, he is still tense then tentatively he wraps his arms around her in return.

"I know " is but an unspoken whisper.

Her face unreadable hidden between them.

In their way, she is crying or coming as close to it as a Yagami sibling every will.

With a start, he realizes as he cradles her to him he is too. Their parents aren't bad, their parents.

Mom is the classic housewife with a penchant for shoving her son in an apron and telling him real men cook and he will thank her someday. Dad is, for the most part, absent.

He has an unbroken record of missed family dinner night for going on a running ten year beyond what light can recall.

That just what being Chief of police entails. Soichiro Yagami tries.

It's clear early on that he will never be an A++ parent.

He is gruff sometimes almost harsh.

He isn't alway right, no one ever is. But he is Justice. Light thinks and while he may not be a dad he is their father.

His thoughts thrum a messy tempo.

Everything is jumbled worse than a traffic snarl after five pm when simply everyone must be somewhere right this instant.

The blinding white before his mind's eye startles him and the dark might paralyze him.

But for her he is here. " Next time," She says.

It isn't even a question. She will not be left behind. She may play his shadow, but she is his light.

"Next time" he replies, it's a promise.

* * *

Hours later he clocks out of the Hospital.

It hardly seems that long since had Light hastily signed off on the last piece of paper from a stack that felt more redundant as you went along, then he was back at the dorm. It was dark the soft hum of a laptop that sounded as if it might take flight greeted him. He places the game console (his old Xbox) on the counter.

Something he had apparently requested from sayu before everything had gotten out of hand. It jogged no memories. This temporary amnesia was starting.

To prove annoying more so than it had when it took him five minutes to figure out which key he used (because all of them had of course been meticulously coded ) and not mind you helpfully coded by the color stickies on them.

Now in the dark apartment unease threatened.

Ridiculous what was he three? Light turned his attentions back to the airplane in progress lap top. He would start there.

He walked the five steps to the table. The black screen reflected his pale features like a mirror.

The mouse was also a shiny black reflecting his gleaming hair.

He couldn't resist the temptation any longer he reached his hand out stopping to fix the strand of hair.. Another few feet his fingers latched down on the wireless mouse like a lifeline anticipation heavy he took a deep breath and *click*. His eyes widened a mixture of ultimate horror, shock, and disbelief coloring his features.. Another minute ticked by and Light composed himself. Before looking again. *click*

He frowned slightly, then *click* once more and still nothing.

* * *

Twenty minutes later a Yagami Raito received a call about a noise complaint. No, a permanent mark would not be placed on his record. Yes, this was his first warning and would be marked the bored officer reassured him and could he please shut up already and stop all that screaming, thank you have a nice night. *click*


	5. Creature Phantasms (L)

**On A Light Note**

 ** _Chapter four Creature Phantasms_**

 ** _This Chapter warning include: Murder and all the wonders that come with it. Note, I am aware of some miss types and mistakes in the doc please comment to help me fin them._**

 ** _Thank you!_**

* * *

 **[ 10 Days Before Yagami's Hospitalization]**

His breath came in quick short pants, his lungs struggled feeling like the bellows to some great fire. He chanced a look over his shoulder hair whipping about his face, turned cutting in the knifing wind.

He stumbled, tripped spiraled into the ground.

 _No!_

His hands scrambled for purchase there had to be something here anything he could use?

They came up empty.

The street lay quiet as a morgue. Not even one car drove past.

Something wet slid down his cheeks.

He wasn't a religious man by nature now, he prayed with abandon.

His beady eyes scanned his surroundings again hopes drifting away as more stars winked into the night sky.

Someone knelt beside him and he clutched his hands into fists squeezing his eyes shut.

After a tense moment, a hand brushed his face he whimpered.

Minutes trickled on hours to the sound of his ragged inhales when no retribution instantly came he chanced a look through cracked eyelids.

Giant smoke clouds like dragon's breath puffed out with their every exhale.

Their smile was as full of jagged teeth as the mythical winged beast.

 **" No, no no, stop,** N _ **O-PLEA**_ SE!"

* * *

 **[5 Days Before Yagami's Hospitalization]**

A black screen flickered on, white letters seemed almost ominous as they stepped across the monitor.

L had just finished a adding an admittedly impressive stack of sugar cubes to his tea. His hand kept its circle stirring motion without pause or surprise in the computer suddenly forbidding appearance.

 ***Clink***

 ***Clink***

 ***Clink*.**

The spoon nicked ceramic as the cubes jostled about, the only sign of emotion. Wide dark eyes reflected on the letters multiple meanings and narrowed.

" _ **T**_ _rite_ _ **"**_

* * *

 **[2 Days Before Yagami's Hospitalization]**

Spindly fingers lifted one photograph, twirling the macabre scene about he devoured a scone with the other hand.

Soft buttery goodness gave way and the crumble of sugar and scone deposited itself everywhere.

A few white pieces fluttered onto a particularly gory image, making for a stark contrast against the red.

L watched with mild disinterest as a pair of scraggly teenage boys played ball outside and lingered on the street corner.

The muddy redhead with poor fashion sense seemed to be in a deep argument with a possibly blond borderline punk dressed figure beside him.

Eventually, the wild hand gestures grew a bit more heated then abruptly stopped and an agreement was reached.

He hoped the redhead won.

A moment later a shrill ringing sounded in the apartment jolting him out of his reverie and startling him out of his chair.

He scowled at the ceiling and hopped back to his feet to got fetch the ringing nuisance.

L-lifted the device and answered it in his singular manner holding the thing at arms length as if the mobile's very existence was to blame for his earlier mishap.

"..."

"You know what I am going to say"

The voice began dryly even tones almost strained, Roger sounded tired for a man of only 40.

He imagined that even now thick grey peppered the prideful man's familiar brown hair.

From the soft noise in the background, he guesses Roger is opening a drawer and pulling out some of his famed cognac along with a glass.

The smooth sound of liquor being poured (a sound that had become more frequent as of late) echoed over the phone.

That bad hmm.

In a fit of childishness, L let him stew for a moment after everything he was due that much.

"I will be there."

He promptly hung up.

Nothing more needed to be said.

* * *

 **[Day of Yagami's Hospitalization ]**

Blood isn't sinister by nature. It is an almost incendious creature when left unto its self however, this is only when inside the body.

 _First_ , it lurks beneath the exterior a dark blue creating web-like traces in the skin. To prominent and one might mistake it for a festering disease but, L knows diseases, sickness, perhaps better than anyone else.

 _(He sets aside a mental note to get that heaviness that hangs about his chest checked out soon)_

Nonetheless, it's startlingly tempting, he can almost understand the urge to make fine slices coaxing out blue to bleed prominent red.

He supposes there is a sort of beauty in the scene before him though twisted at that he feels that no beauty though should make you want to gag.

Even the truth is not known to have such a wretch worthy effect.

The girl looks strangely frozen a sort of suspended still that is at odds with her running _Nikes (TM)_ and track shorts.

 _In death_ , she is a pale waxen creature swathed with spatters of bloody color.

Her head is sitting at a weird angle, ponytail askew and face tilted upwards.

The cop in blue beside him looks green.

 _Rookies._

L has the thought that for a first crime scene this is a good enough one for the young cop to puke all over those shiny immaculate black shoes of his.

For all the violence that charges this space, there is yet something reverent in the air.

A sense of dignity that remains with this woman even in death clinging to her as only a shadow of former grace.

The killer took the time to gently close her eyelid instead of leaving the orbs to peer listlessly. They even carefully crossed her arms.

There is nothing outwardly bold about this murder ( _other than your run of the mill eccentric serial killer)._ No new innovative artistic license taken, or boldly drawn sign and a pretentious calling card left. He hasn't been challenged on some grand scale.

It's instinct, he feel it, knew it.

That If this were a horse race, the bell had just dinged go.

No longer was the killer satisfied with the pre-show lineup.

They were ready to start the game having grown tired of putting themselves through the paces.

The killer has chosen his racers, more importantly their champion..

Those who had been groomed for this would head for the fair turf and soon be left behind.

L was interested to see who could handle a little dust in their eye.

The forecast was bound to be stormy, good thing he had never had a problem with digging his heels into the mud and slugging it out.

All bets had been placed, the odds

L can taste it, he knows this will be no easy match.

It might even prove entertaining, for a bit.

Now with a loud clang the gates have opened.

He turns to leave and his eye and foot rather catch and hit on something sending it rolling with a crinkle of plastic from the light kick. Being the planeteer, he is not L of course bends to pick it up.

Inside the bottle, her water bottle he corrects _(the little blood spatters that decorate it and the feminine flower all but confirm it's the victims)_ sits a rolled up piece of paper.

Yes, L thinks a sort of small smile blooming at the corner of his face, let the race begin.


	6. Charismatic Hollows (Light)

**Thank you to everyone (big thanks) who faved and followed this letting me know there is still interest here. :)** Was it everything you hoped it to be or where did I fudge up? In much later news look a chapter about gaming in a gaming AU fancy that! Light discovers Pokemon and a healthy case of paranoia among other things. No warnings this chapter.

* * *

 **On A Light Note**

 ** _Chapter 5 :_** _Charismatic Hollows-_

* * *

Light felt like a foreign man in his own skin.

Outside the wind is picking up and he stares at a closet of dress shirts with empty eyes.

He grabs a dark colored one and then vetoed that in favor of a sky blue to combat the gloom of his sparse apartment.

The shirt is actually not a wild Sayu purchase in an attempt to bring some Light to his wardrobe. Irony notwithstanding, with a sigh he contemplates putting on some soft sweater that he doesn't in fact own.

Rows of pristine suit jackets line his closet almost mockingly, taunting him with their perceived perfection.

Light is nonplussed, resigned not defeated he closes the door and meanders back to the living room.

The semester has just reached its close.

Even with his minor hospital excitement he had full confidence in his exam scores.

There remained only one large problem.

His memory.

Light is missing something, something big, a key thing.

The doctors had told him a minor form of amnesia is common.

That alone was strange.

One piece of advice he did take was to start a journal, he picked it one up when he went out for dinner last night not wanting to risk cooking or takeout.

Not that it had jogged his memory any.

How could it?

He hadn't even touched the thing it's dark cover regarded him from his desk and he just couldn't face all those blank lined pages right now thank you very much.

Light has not yet been able to figure out how to operate the coffee maker.

Something, absolutely vital to his well being!

At this rate, Light's going to be forced to visit the University cafe.

Something, that was absolutely not going to happen.

He spared a glare at his laptop the gleaming machine sat innocently at the counter where he had moved it to.

Probably forming a collineation with the rest of the kitchen appliances to mutiny.

Little shit.

It didn't happen overnight but, gradually a sense of restless, unease overtook him.

Almost swiftly after testing had ended and nothing else was required it weighed in.

The silence.

For lack of want to do (anything but think, please ) he started to tidy up.

Finally having worked himself into almost a frenzy Light snatched up his wallet and fled the apartment, with a loud slam of the door mentally he pictured the wall shadows watched him inky blackness reaching after his retreating steps through the door crack.

He cuts through a few doors outside and chills prickle his skin Light convinces himself it's because of the cold and lack of sleep or liquid morning.

First things first I need coffee.

Then he can start figuring out what to blame because right now he _can't even think straight_.

Light doesn't want to chance a look around the student space, (he can't be bothered to speak to anybody, doesn't know anybody).

He makes a beeline for the counter and stares at the multi-button coffee machine for what feels like an hour before he realizes it's out of grounds.

Once he has the machine making cheerful sputters oozes dark liquid into a cup he leans back against the counter and surveys the area.

The seating space wasn't as littered with coffee cups in varying states of fullness or students varying states of dress.

The area isn't filled with the perpetual sound of desperate whispers.

Constant murmurs as students studied last minute were absent, not even the burp and gurgle that accompanies the clang of books and papers being shuffled as people spill in and out the metal doors.

The only constant exception to the all but desolate area, being one young lady he had not noticed before and another dark haired man with glasses sitting across from her.

There is a quiet intensity about her, back of her computer is littered with geeky stickers at odds with her refined and put together appearance.

She stays focused even as her companion explains something with an equally furious look of concentration on his face.

She tenaciously sips her frothy drink whilst attacking her poor computer's keyboard. The soft clack- clack of chicken peck typing rang out

A familiar sight so much so Light almost, almost headed over to engage in conversation before he realized why he would never do such a thing.

It would be awkward to abruptly approach her.

He might have seen her in one class or two, it was a bur.

Besides, he never had gotten a clear look at her anyway.

He had a vague impression of constant 'clack' 'clack' of typing and a pair of vaguely familiar dark brown eyes and one thinly plucked eyebrow archly regarding him over a book.

Heck, he had been surprised to see she had the entirety of a face which was somewhat ridiculous but, she always, always was hunched over hidden by something or other.

The disquiet must be messing with his mind.

His eyes snagged on a familiar sleek black hair (that for once didn't look terribly bushy) seated across from the computer chic.

Wait..

Was that the mail man?

Teru?

He had a vague memory of those same glasses and hair shoved wildly under a baseball cap and shaky hands giving him a package of some kind or other.

Decision made Light grabbed his coffee.

"Mind if I sit here?" Que blinding smile.

Computer chick didn't even pause in her typing.

He must be losing his touch.

Teru thankfully didn't stare at him as if dumbstruck by his appearance.

Once Light pointed out his Nintendo Teru smiled and launched into an continued version of his earlier speech about the game he was playing.

He watched the steam rise from his mug and envied the University sweatshirts both of them were sporting.

One thing light hated about being out of the hospital had to be the questions or well wishers.

It was a tie.

He frankly is shocked when Mikami didn't ask about his absence from class but, something else entirely.

For once he didn't have anyone (other than Sayu) to smile becomingly but emptily at and reassure that yes he was all right.

The onyx haired man's entire focus was devoted towards...Pokemon...

Then the questions started

 _"Did Light even know about Pokemon?!"_

 _"Did Light play Pokemon Too?!"_

 _"Of course he knew about Pokemon"_

Mikami is akin to an over eager puppy with a ball when he gets into the conversation.

Light has never seen him so animated not that their interactions no matter how brief had called for enthusiasm.

"Who didn't know _something_ about Pokemon?"

Who hasn't heard _something_ about Pokemon and collected some of those blasted trading cards or furthermore watched with secret envy as other did

Light spends the next three days being introduced to the wonders of "Pokemon GO!" Pixelated monsters that share the kinship with real life beasties galore.

He quickly learns some games are better than others.

That he never ever under should any circumstance pay more than sweat off his brow for Pokemon black and white.

"It's just balls awful " computer chick raises a perfectly primped eyebrow her only input thus far. Teru looks sheepish.

Light wonders at her power and sips his almost chilled drink.

"I mean well bad"

All this Mikami, Teru told (ie yammered in a nonstop babble) him in one sitting.

Turns out the dorm mailman (stalker of one Light Yagami) wasn't too bad a conversation list nor stuck up for a law major (Light would know).

He was impassioned and most importantly after a bit didn't seem to be too infatuated with Light. Teru also gave wonderful gaming advice not that Light needed it.

Pokemon it turns out is more of a gotta a catch a few of them because the rest suck, then gotta catch em all game.

There is the sudden sound of a laptop being brusquely closed.

Light looks away from Teru face and towards the nearly forgotten computer chick.

He notices the sternness in her expression as she tucks a strand of short almost spiky dark brown hair behind her ear.

"Whatever you do"

She firmly states pausing for effect.

" Do not, I mean do not use your master ball to catch Pidgeotto. "

"Good one Kio!"

It must be an inside joke because Teru erupts into rounds of laughter that take ages to settle.

He finally decides to abandon politeness and ask for her name.

"I'm Light Yagami"-

"I know" She states brusquely.

Light bites back some irritation attempts to look beguilingly "Who are you?"

She purses her lips corners of her mouth tugging upwards to form a bittersweet smile

"The name is **Takada** , _Kiyomi Takada."_


	7. Mad Brilliance (L)

**On A Light Note**

 _Chapter:6,_ _ **Mad Brilliance**_

* * *

"No matter what you have to agree."

The jingle of a shop bell did not deter D from his speech.

The man merely raised an elegant eyebrow and leaned forward the very picture of refined elegance his words pointed cutting softly as velvet-clothed steel.

"It involves a blood sacrifice and satanic chanting."

L looked at him staunchly unimpressed.

"This is no joking matter."

Inside he hid a glimmer of amusement.

The count was, of course, serious( maybe not about the satanic chanting) but, the rest he definitely meant.

D. had the good grace to delicately muffle a chuckle in his tea-cup.

L graced him with a bland smile feeling a fleeting surge of happiness.

"Indeed." The count tilted his head curiously and called out presumably to whoever had arrived.

"I'm in the back, dearest."

Looking all too smug for a man sipping a cream whip drink D. settled back among the cushions.

Light footsteps barely muffled but falling with the presence of someone who was used to concealing them but felt relaxed in this space sounded.

A large blond man stepped into the room his shoulders were broad and held a definition to them.

The man carried himself in such a way with his tall height, that bespoke confidence of age and the belief in his ability to fight if needed, rather than run.

He prowled closer his movements a hybrid between D's Jungle cat like dancers self-assurance and a lumbering bear that somehow learned ballet.

It was not that he hadn't noticed L but more that his focus was directed solely upon the Count.

He has eyes only for D.

D's looked curious and expectant nearly vibrating with excitement body leaning towards the table.

The man looked like he might sigh and unceremoniously drew a white box from his coat and plopped it on the table.

The Count quickly popped open the box.

"Eclairs" He exclaimed by way of explanation face lighting up.

D. Snagged one carefully with his (today) red nails purring.

"My favorite, detective you shouldn't have."

D's pause to appreciate the Eclair showed that the man definitely should have.

The onyx haired man looked sharply at the blond and was halfhearted at best in his scolding.

"Mhm, delicious, Leon I thought you said the bakery on Frond Str. was all out?"

Inquired the Count.

The blonds outward expression didn't change but, he drew himself up in height and moved to sit, alongside D.

"The one on James is clearly not"

Leon replied with a slightly deep good natured rumble.

If asked to describe the man's expression L would call it preening.

Leon leaned back folding his hands behind himself for all appearances comfortable and relaxed beside D.

Hmm.

The count obviously had this detective wrapped around his finely manicured finger.

The best part he seemed oblivious, well L corrected noticing a certain tilt and expression on the store owners face he hadn't yet seen before perhaps not that oblivious.

"While Interesting, the state of your relationship or lack thereof is not why I am here"

L broke in ignoring the look he received from the other man.

It was as if he had stepped in on some great ritual or long practiced dance.

L had never been a great dancer unless it involved words and now watching the two he felt oddly displaced.

An unusual feeling for what was generally the most important man in the room.

If this feeling of displacement was making him hugely uncomfortable, then he could make everyone else hugely uncomfortable.

Mr. Blond near scowl could just deal with it.

L hadn't known eyebrows could scrunch and un-scrunch that way so quickly

It couldn't be healthy.

He decided to be proactive and laid out some photos from the crime scene along with his write up.

He snuck an Eclair.

The other two men did not appear to notice his thievery.

Leon was busy putting his grubby paws all over the crime scene photos while he murmured to D.

"What do you think?"

L prompted D after a moment of the man saying nothing.

"I think it's time we called your cousin"

Leon answered gently for D as the Count moved to an ancient box phone and started dialing.

"Lulu , it's D"

"Mhmm. Yes, I will."

"You too. I'll let Leon know."

"Thank you"

D disconnected eyes almost seeming to glow with eerie power from behind his thick curtain of short black hair.

L placed a 59% no 65%, growing steadily that the counts mismatched eyes had just flashed

"You can come out now" He called softly.

The sounds of shuffling feet and muffled cursing ensued.

"I told you !"

"Well excuse me I distinctly remember-

Matt, you said!

"I said?!"

"Mello, calm down- Don't tell me to calm down.

Someone cut in shrilly.

"I fail to see how this is pertinent " Brokered a dry voice that could rival L's own.

"SHUT UP NEAR"

Chorused the two other voices in perfect unison as they stumbled around the corner.

Everyone winced, L's ears rang he nearly dropped the third Eclair he had been pilfering while everyone was otherwise distracted.

Three teenagers barreled in and flopped down lounging about the room.

The faux redhead huffed " god when they argue it's almost the seven levels of stupid conjoined to equal the fight scene between Thorin Oakenshield and The white orc. Which, believe me, is master level stupid especially in that bit where Thorin follows him when he's under the ice."

He paused giving them a crooked smile

"Am I right mates?

Noticing all three parties looking at him blankly the boy-matt he assumes by the frequent pleas from the dirty blond to do something about Near already goddamnit matt!) rambles on seemingly undeterred by the apparent lack of knowledge.

"The hobbit battle of five armies? Pete Jackson, CGI everywhere. Come on guys get with the times.

Matt shakes his head and pulls out some sort of gaming contraption that looks like a Ps4 only with wires here and there. L feels with 80% surety that matt (100% on that not being his real name or any of their real names, who named their kid Mello when he was anything but Mello? Even more concerning who name their kid near? Had dutifully suffered his companions antics on multiple occasions.

L casts his gaze wistful down to the box of creamy treats, maybe a fifth?

D. bless him, scarcely arches a brow at this teenage invasion, "I will just go and fetch some more tea"

He comments with a small smile an undercurrent of smug amusement at L's expense (anyone's expense D.'s not picky lately L is getting the brunt end of it) evident.

To L's great chagrin, he feels as if maybe D. hadn't been so oblivious to the Eclair stealing as he first thought. .

"Come, Leon, I require the assistance of a big strong man such as yourself"

Nope, defiantly aware.

The blond detective dutifully rose from his seat. Leon laughed immediately lowering himself in L's regard. He wanted to mount a grand protest, to argue that he too is a big strong man and could he please oh please help D. fetch that extra tea set anything but this.

Don't leave me with them. He thinks eyes boring into D.

D's retreating backside was an answer all unto itself. L watched him go with grave sobriety. He was being left to the wolves or in this case teenagers.

 _Is there any difference?_

The filthy redhead continued to provide a stunning display of multitasking.

His fingers fly across the keys as he brushes shaggy hair that borders on greasy. out of his face with the help of surprisingly shiny green goggles. The hair is greasy enough to make L's stomach queasy. (Perhaps he should have stopped at the third Eclair?)

This entire time Matt has kept up a steady flow of barbed comments with the equally grimy (possibly) blond who was bemoaning eyeliner and all its scruples.

"Mello does not possess any scruples, therefore, the use of the word is irrelevant"

The white haired kid fired back

Then white-hair proceed to sport a certain twitch in his lips that betrayed him as being particularly smug.

"Eyeliner is a bitch, Near"

The dirty blond- Mello snaps out. In this case the term dirty blond is completely accurate, he can smell the stench practically see it even. Mello huffs and glares sharply looking tempted to roll his eyes but doesn't deny his companions statement.

All of them simultaneously seem to reach a silent agreement to turn their attentions to the odd man out in the room.

Wonderful.

Then their eyes fall on the oh so carelessly left in plain view crime scene photographs.

The cafe evidence is in their hands before he has time to blink and it's almost unnerving the focused intensity that they emit. (Should not be emitting)

Matt cards his hands through the sheets not looking the faintest bit sick.

"This is brill" He finally remarks. This time, Mello does roll his eyes and looks constipated as he tries to be the mature one thank you very much.

"Yes." replies L his soft tones echoing.

Near tilts his head examining a photograph of the blood spatter that is a particularly violent red.

"I suppose there is a _mad_ _brilliance_ to it"

* * *

"We have some work to do but, I felt it best to let them play now rather than pay later, " D remarked.

"Oh goodie," The blond detective stated dryly.

Really, wondered the Count fondly as he slipped his hands behind a cushion fishing something out,

Why are all detectives so alike?

 _Even more mystifying why do I find it so endearing?_

 **"Leon"**

He beseeched jolting his detective from a deep thought of some kind.

Probably food.

"Let me _make it up to you.."_

D smiled all teeth and twirled the handcuffs about his wrist.

Leon eyed him warily with his own matching feral grin as he caught a certain spark in D's eye.

"Long as it's not..anything unnatural"

The detective remarked.

"Perfectly natural, I thought you liked Thai food"

He pouted.

Leon scowled and huffed out a laugh then grabbed his coat to hang it up somewhere, in D's opinion,

proper.

(Leon's the opinion of proper involved it hanging over the couch back)

"Take out it is."

* * *

I debated cutting this bit, but I couldn't bring myself to do that to my boys

 _This concludes Chapter six of OLAN Mad Brilliance aka D might be (is def getting laid_

 _wow these just keep getting longer and I even cut this one_


End file.
